Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-02-26
A REPTtliAN RuMPUS,
1 Fight to the Death between an Ari-
roma ella and a Florida Alligator.


a building belonging to the l.. S. Fish
commission, at Washington, between
TWO little pets of that institution whose
likes have probably never found them.
selves in such close proximity since the
ages or fea:herless birds, winged rep
tlies and web-footed quadrupeds. The
aggressor, and the victor as well, was
the newly arrived gila pronounced
helal monster from the ella River. in
Arizona-the only species Of lizard
whose bite Is known to be poisonous
and the victim was a tw~o-year-old
alligator from Florida. The monster
Is fourteen inches long and about twice
the weight of his antagonist. Both
reptiles were in a Semi-torpid condition,
having ceased to take food a week or
TWO ago. and for some purpose they
had e removed from their glass
cases and placed beside each other upon
the stone floor. An attendant mad.
vertently touched the alligator's tail
and caused him 10 move sluggishly
onward a few inches, where he came in
contact with the blunt nose of the
monster. The snxky eyes of the latter
lighted up with q CLEAN Of malevol-
ence, Its black eyes opened wide, and its
Jaws closed with a snap upon the fore
paw OF the alligator. The prisoner
developed unexpected activity, and,
though taken at a sad disadvantage,
made for a time a gallant fight for its
liberty and life. Its movements were
marvellously quick and its jaws closed
a dozen times in succession upon the
mailed head Of the assaiiant. 1t soon,
however, became exhausted, and moan
ing like a suffering child, it relapsed
into quietude. The attendants sought
by q variety Of means TO release the
wretched alligator, but were compelled,
as may be supposed, to be very careful
IN handling the ycnomous "monster."
lie ives seized by the tail and held MP
in the air, taken by the bloated neck
and chokcd severely, plunged under
water aud maltrcated in other ways,
but to no purpose,
Then sharp wires were thrust into
his nose and finally a large trowel was
forced into his mouth, but such was
the force Of his grip that the steel blade,
though considerably bent in the effort,
failed TO release the imprisoned paw.
Then the pair were replaced in the
glass case which had been occupied by
the monster, and again the alligator
renewed its struggle, thrashing the
enemy with its tail and sr,apping at it
with its jaws. In its struggles it had
di6located its shoulder and its i'm
prisoned limb became limp and power
less. It's meanings were pitlfll, and
the attendants were moved To re-
newcd efforts to effect a separation.
The trowel WAS reintrOduced into the
monsters mouth with no very gentle
thrusts and prOJab = effected a severe
wound In some tender part. Bubbles
Of sgreyish Slime were eXuded from
mouth and nostrils, and finally the jaws
slowly opened. Even then it was a
work OF several minutes to disongage
the hooked fangs from the wounded
paw.
The combatants were placed in their
separate receptac!es, the monster lap
ping his thick BLACK lips vita his green
ish forked tongue. while the alligator
closed its eyes, probably to die Of the
venom IN its system